1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for electronically authenticating the identity of an individual using the individual's physiological traits. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods for layering a plurality of biometric markers to provide a composite biometric marker for use in authenticating a person's identity.
2. Background Art
Biometric markers are becoming increasingly more important in today's electronic society. A biometric marker is a biological trait or combination of traits in an individual that is used to authenticate that individual's identity, thereby authorizing a transaction, activating a device, or otherwise instigating some action. In effect, biometric markers are physiological keys or passwords used to authenticate a person's identity to authorize some specific action. Known biometric markers include fingerprints, hand and face geometry, and retinal and iris patterns. Biometric markers also encompass unique behavioral responses such as the recognition of vocal patterns and the analysis of hand movements.
Biometric authentication involves two basic steps: registration and verification. Registration concerns the initial enrollment of a person or individual with the authenticating entity. The individual's biometric information is captured and stored in the form of a biometric template or profile that serves as that individual's identifier. The step of verification involves the subsequent measuring of that individual's biometric information with the stored biometric profile. Authentication of that individual's identity takes place if the newly measured biometric information matches with that in the stored profile.
Various devices exist that capture and electronically process biometric markers for registration and verification. Devices that capture superficial anatomical traits (e.g., finger or hand prints, facial geometry, retinal patterns, etc.) often require unwieldy and/or expensive scanners and optical devices that reflect light off of skin or other surfaces and then capture the reflected light in the form of an electronic signal. These devices then compare one or more features from the signal with a previously stored signal used as an identifier for a particular person. Various features of the signal may be used for the comparison, including a visual representation of a physiological surface produced by the signal; the wave length characteristics of the signal; or the signal characteristics when transformed into a function of the movement of a finger across an optical scanning surface.
In the case of a fingerprint, some devices scan the surface ridges of a fingerprint to form an image representative of the skin print for comparison with a stored image. In the case of a retinal scan, some devices scan a person's retina to form an electronic version of the retina's unique blood vessel pattern. Some devices scan a person's iris to capture its unique contrasting patterns. Hand and face identification systems use scanners to detect the relative anatomical structure and geometry of a person's face or hand.
Other types of devices capture an individual's behavioral traits such as a signature or voice pattern. Voice recognition systems generally use a telephone or microphone to record a standard phrase repeated by the person to be authenticated; the measured voice pattern is compared to a voice pattern stored in the system. Signature authentication typically involves not only the recording of a pattern of contact between a writing utensil and the recording device, but also the measurement of and comparison between the speed of the writing and the pressure applied while writing.
Known biometric authentication systems have several disadvantages. As was previously mentioned, fingerprint or facial geometry recognition systems may require expensive or large scanning devices. Retinal scanning systems often require a person to place his or her eye close to or upon a scanning device, exposing that person to potential infection. Voice recognition devices have problems screening out background noise. Signature recognition devices are subject to the inherent variations in an individual's signature.
Another disadvantage of the existing art is that it typically is able to use only those biometric markers that are deemed unique to each individual. These markers thus may have only minute differences and must distinguish subtle differences between individual markers. Measuring and authenticating such patterns in turn requires a high degree of electronic sophistication. If the biometric marker is used to identify an individual from among a large group of individuals, computer memory storage and processing capability may also have to be sophisticated and thus expensive.
An additional disadvantage of prior art is that with relatively few truly unique biometric markers, the likelihood of decreased privacy increases with the widespread use of those markers. In other words, the widespread use of just one or two types of markers increases the likelihood that an unauthorized person could, by chance or otherwise, be improperly granted access. If an unauthorized person were improperly given access, that individual may have access to numerous secured devices or accounts. This is the same problem that exists when a person chooses the same password for all his accounts or electronic devices and the password is stolen.